Provides advanced technical services and guidance to North Carolina local government leaders and elected officials in order to strengthen fire and rescue service delivery systems and advance the leadership that manage and operate those organizations. Strategic plans, organizational analysis, fire station locations, executive search and selection, delivery system modeling, post incident investigation, human resource solutions and much more. Lead North Carolina Fire Chief Consulting, comprising a team of highly-experienced fire service professional consultants that boldly focus on advancing the fire service in North Carolina.

Improved the quality of fire and rescue services received by the people of North Carolina by strategically strengthening emergency delivery systems provided by counties and municipalities. Provided expertise, professional advice, technical assistance and standards based information on a wide range of complex fire management, risk management and code-related service issues to county and municipal officials (both elected and appointed) for the counties and municipalities within the State of North Carolina. Provided management assistance and expertise on fire and emergency services to North Carolina professional organizations and agencies and may provide technical information and recommendations to members of the North Carolina General Assembly.Supported OSFM’s role as the state’s primary fire and rescue technical resource specialist for the managers and administrators of 100 counties and 533 local municipalities. Functioned as a public consultant and ombudsman for the Commissioner of Insurance. Illustrative examples of work performed include direct basic field consulting, projects and studies for individual counties and municipalities, training program development and instruction, station location studies, interpretation of fire and rescue related standards, best practice application, research associated with fire management issues, human resource management, benchmarking and the publication of articles, bulletins and specialty technical reports. Developed and conducted leadership training for upper level local government management, emergency services personnel and technical training for elected and appointed county local government officials. Researched, developed and maintained an extensive resource for county and city managers as well as fire and rescue professionals in North Carolina. Served as a member of the State's Emergency Response Team (SERT),with a specific focus on serving county and municipal managers and local elected officials.

Led, managed, and directed a complex, comprehensive fire-rescue-hazmat-emergency management service delivery system for the City of Greensboro, ensuring that residents and businesses receive high quality service from professional men and women serving them in their time of emergency need. Department Characteristics:* 580+ career personnel* 25 fire stations * 35 response companies* 34,000 emergency responses annually - 280,000+ residents servedMajor accomplishments included:* Construction/Opening of four fire stations (53,57,61,59) and addition of four fire companies (14,61,59,62).* Increase in four person staffing for five ladder companies (7,5,11,10, 52).* Replacement of 275 self contained breathing apparatus at a cost of over $2 million.* Establishment of departmental EMT direct delivery educational system and department targeted recruitment officer.* Overhaul of the department's promotional systems for improved accountability.* Creation of the Chief Officer Leadership Academy (COLA) and Officer Candidate School (OCS) programs. * Implementation of a progressive step pay plan for all non-exempt sworn personnel. * Creation and implementation of the Lieutenant rank for the department. * Significant enhancements to the department's foam capabilities and implemented the airport rescue and firefighting (ARFF) program and initiative. * Led the department through the Great Recession, reducing the operating budget by more than 20%, without layoffs, station/company closures.* Led the department through a comprehensive ISO review and retained the department's class 1 rating (less than 100 in the US) and led the department through re-accreditation and maintained accredited agency status (less than 210 in North America).* Aggressively worked through major emergencies including a large tank farm fire and a downtown fire that resulted in significant firefighter injuries.

Led, managed, and directed a complex and high demanding fire and rescue service delivery system for the City of Asheville, ensuring that residents and businesses receive high quality service from professional men and women serving them in their time of emergency need. In addition to municipal fire, rescue and emergency management services, the department also provided regional hazardous materials response, wildland firefighting and was engaged in regional search and rescue services. Department characteristics at the time:* 240 career personnel* 12 fire stations * 19 response companies* 17,000 emergency responses annually - 100,000+ residents servedMajor accomplishments included:* Construction/Opening of two fire stations (10,11) and addition of four fire companies (1,8,10,11) and merger/acquisition of one station (12).* Replacement of all front line fire apparatus (18) including a quick response unit downtown.* Overhaul of the department's standard operating guidelines as well as promotional systems for improved accountability.* Implementation of step pay plan for all non-exempt sworn personnel. * Creation and implementation of the Lieutenant rank for the department. * Led the department through complex changes and enhancements to human resource systems and addressed complex needs and issues of personnel during the transition. * Led the department through a comprehensive ISO review and improved the department's insurance rating by 8% and earned initial accreditation of the department by CPSE in 2005 (one of only 205 in North America).* Aggressively worked through major emergencies including two major hurricanes which resulted in a loss of the city's water infrastructure, a major furniture store fire and multiple large apartment fires. * Built the relationships between city and county agencies to improve service levels, including serving as the Vice-President and President of the Buncombe County Fire Chief's Association.

Led, managed, and directed the fire and rescue service delivery system for the City of Burlington, ensuring that residents and businesses receive high quality service from professional men and women serving them in their time of emergency need. Department characteristics at the time:* 81 career personnel, 20 reserve members* 5 fire stations * 7 response companies* 5,000 emergency responses annually - 50,000+ residents servedStrengthened the department's community outreach, involvement and engagement. Developed and implemented the reserve firefighter program to improve staffing and to minimize voids created by vacancies. Enhanced the city's all-hazards emergency response delivery system.

Led a County Fire and Rescue Department providing comprehensive support to contracting fire and rescue departments and serving as the primary provider of fire code enforcement, fire scene investigation and fire training services. County characteristics at the time:Population - 600,000+Square Miles - 835Municipalities - 12Contracting Fire Departments - 23County staff - 28Provided emergency response county-wide to a wide variety of significant emergency scenes to provide technical assistance to incident commanders and ensure that emergency management systems were being optimally utilized. Major emergencies included coordinating county-wide response during the tremendous devastation of Hurricane Fran (1996) and the tragic crash of American Eagle Flight 3379 (1994).Designed, planned and managed emergency response systems to address the county's complex emergency response needs and service delivery issues. Served as the County Manager's executive lead on all fire and rescue issues, including a comprehensive external fire services study (Tri-Data) that identified significant shifts in the fire and rescue service delivery system business model. Responded to citizen and elected officials concerns on emergency service delivery issues and established contracts and agreements to ensure that core, essential public safety services were being provided to citizens in an accountable manner. Responsible for a full fire training facility and facilitated significant improvements to the center. Taught curriculum classes in the Durham Technical Community College Fire Protection Technology Associate Degree Program. Developed and initiated the County's fire code enforcement program from it's inception, WC1 shift response/investigations program, special services program, county firefighter cooperative program and WC 7 body recovery program. Collaborated the merger to create Western Wake Fire Department from former Fairgrounds and former YRAC Fire Departments.

Provided fire code enforcement, fire scene investigation and public fire education programs in a rapidly growing municipality. Served in the department's lead role on fire plans review and new construction inspections for a period of time. Trained firefighters on building fire protection features and construction characteristics. Developed and delivered public education programs to targeted populations. Assisted the Fire Chief with various special projects, including the design of Fire Station 1. Taught fire protection and inspection classes throughout the State of North Carolina for multiple Community Colleges.Received national (NFPA) recognition for public education efforts that resulted in a life save of a child whose clothes caught fire and knew what to do because of an educational program that had been delivered at his school.